21 March 2009
To whom it may concern:
It is with great pleasure that I am writing to support the grant application of Global Justice Ecology Project for their important campaign work on climate justice, both through their New Voices on Climate Change Initiative and their work to end the devastating social, environmental and climate-related impacts of large-scale biofuel production. GJEP holistically addresses the climate crisis by both supporting the rights of indigenous and other communities impacted by climate change, and by organizing against some of the major threats to these communities and the climate.
Focus on the Global South has collaborated very closely with Global Justice Ecology Project on climate change and climate justice, in particular through the Climate Justice Now! network, with a shared objective of building a diverse and effective global movement for climate justice.
In the coming year, we will be focusing much of our efforts on mobilizing for the UN Climate Convention (COP 15) in Copenhagen. We believe that COP 15 will be a key moment in climate negotiations – not least because of the new US administration and the opportunities created by the economic crisis. However, governments will not act by themselves: civil society must be organised to ensure that this opportunity is not lost. Global Justice Ecology Project’s work within the US is particularly important to this end.
I would like to add that Global Justice Ecology Project is especially valued by many movements and activists from the South because of their commitment to integrating the social and environmental dimensions of climate change, and to ensuring that the voices of those affected are heard. The work that Global Justice Ecology Project does in bringing these concerns to their own members and to the US public more broadly is critically important, as is their excellent and effective campaigning for the protection of forests and indigenous peoples’ rights especially since they overlap with necessary steps to successfully address climate change.
We hope that you will be able to support the important work of Global Justice Ecology Project.
Yours sincerely,
Nicola Bullard
Senior Associate
Climate campaign coordinator
Focus on the Global South
CUSRI, Chulalongkorn University
n.*******@fo******.org
www.focusweb.org